"We're going to ask commanders to review their Websites to ensure they don't compromise confidentiality or security," said Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon.

The Pentagon estimates that it now runs about 1,000 Websites, most of which branch out from the main Defence Department site.

Each of the services, virtually every military base, and even individual units have their own sites, and there are no clear guidelines on what can go on them.

Protecting personnel

Each service has its own site

Information that is likely to start being excluded from military web-sites includes social security numbers and home telephone numbers of military personnel, maps and floor plans of some military facilities and details on new weapon developments.

Mr Bacon said that under the present arrangements, victims of US military operations abroad might seek revenge by tracking down members of the same units in the United States.

"All we're asking commanders to do is to review the web-sites with a couple of basic principles that deal with personal and other types of security, and to make sure that they don't give out information that could compromise our very legitimate security needs," he said.

Mr Bacon said the new guidelines, which are not yet ready for publication, were not in response to any specific incident.